Limits of Hate
by damncritic
Summary: Danny Ocean is someone he hates, but even that has limits.


**Limits of Hate**

**By : DC **

Disclaimer : Not mine. Except the story.

Summary : Danny Ocean is someone he hates, but even that has limits.

Rating : Just cursing.

Note : Terry's not that bad. Really.

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It was just a snatch of conversation that he overheard – a couple of people were passing by while he waited for his purchases – but the familiar name immediately caught his ear.

"Record says his name is Daniel Ocean. Got him back at warehouse twelve, just a few minutes ride from here."

It was a bulky man walking by himself, stopping at the vending machine just beside the flower shop where he is currently at. The man placed some coins in before continuing his conversation over the cell phone.

"The stuff's not with him, so we're guessing it might be with the kid we saw with him… no, we don't know who the kid is and the guy won't talk."

Well, would you look at that. Finally, somebody was able to catch that sonofabitch. It seems that there is a god out there looking after the innocent from thieves like Ocean and his gang. Terry tried to hear more of the conversation.

"Bruce and Charlie are working on him. The guy's kinda tough though and it's been days already since we got him." The man pushed a button and bent down to get the can of soda from the dispenser. "Nah, we have all the time in the world. His partners will be looking in L.A., not here in Vegas."

Seems like Ocean got himself into a very tight and painful situation. Terry couldn't help but smirk. How could he not? He hated Ocean. For daring to steal his money from under his nose and making him look like a fool when he succeeded to steal his woman as well. In one night. So really, he's happy to know that someone is finally getting their just rewards.

"Don't worry, we'll make him talk. He's out like a light right now coz Charlie hit him a bit too hard, but he'll be coming around in a couple of hours. And if he still doesn't talk," he saw the man's face break into a cruel smile, "we'll be sending out pieces of him to the station with his name on it. I think those guys he's working with will get the point immediately, don't you think?" The man laughed sadistically as he started to walk away. "You say they'd give in once we send an eye and a hand?"

His face remained neutral as he listened to the guy talk about other ways to get Ocean, or his partners, to talk. Yes, he hated Ocean and could care less about what happens to him. But even if he is a pompous and arrogant bastard whom he wishes all the misfortune to fall upon, there's a difference between wanting someone miserable and wanting someone dead.

And he did owe him a favor – somewhat - not that he'd acknowledge it in a million years. So he waited until the man had disappeared to the alley on the far side of the road before taking out his cell phone and punched in a few buttons. The call was immediately answered after a ring.

"Hello Mr. Ryan."

There was a startled silence – understandable, because there was really no reason for him to call any one of them after the Bank job. And they had behaved themselves after the Bellagio.

"Terry Benedict. Surprised you called. To what do I owe this pleasure to?" The voice cheerfully chirped over the phone and he almost wondered if maybe Ryan wasn't as close to Ocean as what he originally believed. But he remembered that both of them conned him twice already, proving that they are excellent actors and liars.

"To a certain Danny Ocean, I'd say." He drawled, shifting his phone to hear better. "Because I just heard some interesting things."

There was another silence, and he detected an undercurrent of tension and strain from the nonchalant "Oh?" reply. Gotcha.

He continued, milking this experience for all its worth. "Do you remember what I said when you and Danny came to ask me to fund that drill?"

"What about it?"

"I said that you guys will pay if you dare screw me up. You did. And it looks to me that you're paying for it now… just not because of me."

The voice suddenly became cold, all pretenses of cheerfulness gone. "What's the point of all this?"

He smiled. "Nothing really, just wanted to have a chat. Heard Ocean's missing for a few days now. Wonder why that is?" He could hear a sharp intake of breath but the guy remained silent, so he continued. "Maybe he picked the wrong guy to mess around with. Because you guys were lucky I was a restrained guy. Seemed like this time, Ocean finally got what's com -"

"Look Terry, I don't have time for your bullshit now so if you're just calling to rub the shit in our face, let's just –"

"Ocean's in warehouse twelve somewhere here in Vegas."

There was silence at the other end of the line and he could feel the confusion and incredulity emanating from it. "What?"

He continued on as if he didn't hear anything. "Heard from some guy that he's currently unconscious but they'll start to work on him after a few hours to make him talk." He saw the sales lady approach him with a bouquet of flowers in hand, so he lowered his voice. "And if that doesn't work, and you and I know that it wouldn't, they're willing to take him apart… piece by piece, if you get what I mean."

"How did you find…" The voice was restrained, as if they didn't want to hope and just have it crushed right after. "Terry, if you're just playing us – "

"I don't really care if you believe me or not." He cut in while he opened his wallet and laid down a couple of bills on the counter, nodding to the sales lady. "Just tell Ocean - if you find him still in one piece that is, I don't really care - that he owes me one. And," he paused for dramatic effect, because he isn't above that every now and then and it really helps with the intimidation factor, "I always collect my debts."

Without waiting for a reply, he snapped his phone shut, feeling a bit of childish satisfaction being the one to hang up the phone. Seems like he's still not over that time when he was rudely left to talk to air by the same blond. But that's in the past and he doesn't like to dwell on irritating things when he has something to look forward to today.

He took the flowers and headed towards the nearby café. There were only a few people at this time of the day so he immediately spotted the back of her head, waiting in the corner seat and sipping on a milkshake. He approached from behind her and couldn't help but smile when he heard her gasp of delight and surprise when he lowered the flowers in front of her.

"Terry!" Her eyes were glowing with happiness as she immediately stood up and pecked him on the cheek. After which, she placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "You're late! I've been waiting for twenty minutes you know!"

"I know, I know. There were just some things I had to handle back at the casino." He said, sitting down at the seat in front of her. He felt her looking at his face, curiosity evident, and he asked, "What?"

She smiled at him. "You look happy. Did something good happen?"

He shrugged. "Nothing much." He started to say, but the look of disbelief on her face made him continue. "Just… got some irritating people owing me something."

"You mean Danny Ocean and his team? You were able to make them owe you something?" she said, amazed. Though who between them was more amazed, he couldn't say since either his poker face was starting to slip, which is something that he should worry about, or that she was able to correctly guess what he was thinking about, which is even more worrying.

"How did you –"

"Well, you talk about them every time you try to threaten other people." She replied, before mischievously lowering her voice and scrunching up her face, he believes, to look like him. "'You wouldn't want to mess with me Barry.'" She said, trying to mimic him - quite well he admits - though the threatening expression on her face made her look constipated instead. "'You have heard how I dealt with Ocean's eleven haven't you? And you know that I will track down each and every person who tries to mess me up, no matter where they are. So I'd advise you to think twice about what you're going to do.'"

"I do not sound that way." He said, somewhat indignant at being reminded of the incident, and several incidents that was similar to that one.

Her eyes were sparkling with barely concealed amusement but she spoke with stern words. "Yes you do, and be nice to them Terry. We do owe them for bringing us together you know."

He almost rolled his eyes. "No, they were doing it out of spite for me. It was just chance that the charity they found was the same one you were in so I definitely do not owe them anything. They should even thank me for not hanging their sorry asses for breaking the deal."

"Well, you were the one who tried to trick them in the first place so it's your fault. And they didn't break their part of the deal because they did give you back your money…you never did say that it should be in cash." She smiled and took his hand in hers. "And they knew what they were doing. He did ask me if I wanted to meet my – "

" – long lost brother who has become a vile, vicious, wife stealing casino owner whom he wanted nothing more than to fall off a cliff for being a major prick, but if his beautiful long lost sister would like to meet him then how can he refuse such a beautiful maiden's wish. Yes, I listened and I remembered every word that you told me and it just makes me wish to have charged double the interest they owed me from before." He gritted his teeth, the image of Ocean charming his sister and trying to ruin his image coming to mind.

He fell silent for a moment as he stared at his younger sister whom he was separated with for twenty years, wondering what would have happened if he _did_ have the kids pulled out of the Camp to Belong charity event to get his money back. "Though I can't imagine how Ocean knew that we were related. I… I tried to find you, you know. After all those years…" He said softly, looking back at the girl in front of him who he had thought he had lost forever. "They found some of your blood at that house and I thought that you also…"

"I didn't and I'm here now. And it was really chance that I met Danny in one of the counseling events that we had to attend, and because of that, I found you." She smiled at him and he felt a part of his soul light up, which was immediately dampened at her next words. "Thanks to Danny. So you better call it even already."

"Fine, fine, I won't call in that favor." He grudgingly gave in. "Not that I'd tell them that." Yes, let them worry about having to owe him something. They can stew about it for all he cares.

His sister tried looked at him disapprovingly but gave up and laughed instead, and he couldn't help but chuckle along with her. Because though he admitted that Danny _did_ do something good for him in a roundabout way, he was a stubborn man who can hold grudges for a very long time and he would never, _ever_, make things easy for Danny Ocean and his motley crew of thieves and scoundrels.

After all, he still hated Danny Ocean.

The End.

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Hope you liked it!


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